enthrall
by Iori-chan-sempai
Summary: [RenAi] Perhaps Aichi could have withstood the seduction of Psyqualia on its own, but Suzugamori Ren is another story. Season 1, slight AU after episode 48. Sexual Content.


Aichi can feel it pulling on him─ quiet, nagging, incessant. A small voice in the back of his head, crooning. While Aichi doesn't know what it is, he can tell that it's familiar, and so, so enticing. Before he knows it, he's on his feet, walking in whatever direction he thinks it's coming from. He vaguely remembers this sensation from before. It had been at that card shop, right? Just like the time he'd been caught in the rain after Kai had left him...

Feeling confident that he's correct, Aichi picks up the pace, thinking, I'm coming, back to it, unsure if the presence could feel his thoughts in a similar matter, or even understand him. But then the hum gets louder, more distinct, still not enough for Aichi to make out the words.

That something is calling him, its tone penetrating into him so deeply and intimately that Aichi wants to nestle next to it. The physical world becomes a haze around him, the sights and sounds all melding together into a faint background noise. His feet follow the familiar route to PSY as if he's being reeled along, until Aichi is so close that he can nearly make out what is actually being said:

"_Aichi_."

In an instant, his surroundings become clear and defined around him once again, and Aichi's standing in the hallway leading to PSY. That voice... He can hear it ringing in his mind and his ears at the same time, and now it sounds so familiar that he feels stupid for not being able to place it before.

"Ren..." comes out of his mouth, dazed. Ren stands there before him, smiling in his usual, disconcerting way. "Were you... calling me?" Aichi almost kicks himself once he hears that. Of course Ren had been calling him. Even he can figure out that much.

"Aichi, you've gotten a lot stronger, haven't you?" Something clenches in his chest to hear the words he'd been training so determinedly to hear. "Too bad Kai won't look at you, no matter how strong you are."

That startles Aichi to the very core. "B-but, you said..."

Ren sighs, shrugging helplessly. "I know. That was before I knew how stubborn Kai was. He won't fight you, even if you win the nationals." Ren's words drill effortlessly right into the heart of Aichi's insecurities. "He's going to abandon you... just like he abandoned me years ago."

"I thought you... didn't you want Kai back, too?" Aichi can still remember the exchange between them during his first trip to the nationals. Ren's words had been harsh, but true. He was weak, ruined their chances to make it past eliminations, and Kai, who was so strong, deserved to be on another team. One like Ren's or Mitsusada's. Back then, Ren had even offered Kai a spot, and been angry when he refused. What had changed?

"Aichi," Ren says again, his tone reminding Aichi of the one he'd heard in the back of his head. His hand reaches out, touching Aichi's cheek in the same coaxing manner. "I've forgotten all about Kai, now that I've found someone better."

The way that Ren looks at him makes him uneasy, and Aichi can feel those old cowardly instincts rising up once again. He pulls away from Ren's odd touch, but only makes it two steps before his back hits the wall. Ren closes in almost immediately; Aichi's heart starts to pound in response.

"What do you mean, someone better?" he asks nervously. As far as Aichi had seen him, Kai had never lost a fight when he played seriously. Ren makes it sound like it's so easy to find a replacement.

Kai is practically invincible in Aichi's mind, so when Ren's smile grows, and he moves forward to murmur, "You, of course," Aichi can't believe it.

"M-me?!" Aichi looks up at Ren, and that's when he realizes just how close they are. One of Ren's arms braces himself against the wall over Aichi's head. Strands of his long red hair lightly tickle Aichi's face.

"Yes," Ren says. This time, his smile looks almost kind. "You've made good use of that deck, haven't you?"

"Y-yeah."

"And you've gotten much stronger in a short time, correct?"

"...Yeah."

"You beat my secondary Foo Fighter team beautifully."

Aichi remembers the match both vividly and vaguely at once. He does remember feeling Ren's eyes, knowing that he was watching how the match between he and the captain of FFBS played out. But only now does he realize where Ren's attention had truly been focused, and a small gasp escapes before he can stop it. "You were watching... me?"

Ren laughs. "Of course, Aichi. I knew you would be the one to win. And I know that you can get even stronger."

Aichi feels overwhelmed. Everything that Ren is saying turns Aichi's initial assumptions on their heads. Back then, he was so sure that Ren had hated him, had thought he was pathetic. Recently, however, Ren had been helping him, watching him, and is now speaking to him like this. Even if what Ren said is true, about Kai not fighting him, the notion of becoming even stronger appeals deeply to him. Kai had left saying that Aichi was weak─ even if they never did battle, there is a stubborn desire to prove him completely wrong, and make Kai admit his strength.

"Why are you so interested in me?" Once he says those words, that odd sensation starts up again, and when he looks into Ren's eyes, he can see a soft ring of light there. He idly wonders why no one else had ever mentioned seeing it before.

"Psyqualia." Ren enunciates every syllable. "For a long time, I thought that I was the only one who had this power. Imagine my surprise when I found how you had developed it as well. How could I want Kai over you?"

Then he says, and Aichi thinks this might be the most honest that Ren has ever been with him, "You're the only person who can understand me."

Understand. That word scratches at something inside him. Recently, Aichi felt so disconnected from everyone─ no one even believed in his power except for the small handful closest to him. His teammates, his friends, no one could understand what it was like to be able to trust the cards the way he did. To see a Vanguard fight unfold in his mind's eye before it even began. It felt amazing, empowering, and it made Aichi feel like he was truly on top of the world for the first time.

But how long ago had Ren developed this power? Aichi had started feeling exhausted and unconsciously irritated after only a few weeks. He can hardly imagine what it would be like to feel that way for years, thinking that no one else would ever come to understand him. Aichi swallows, suppressing his lonesomeness and sympathy as much as he can for the moment. "How would I get stronger?"

"There's a spot open on AL4."

The very spot he'd offered to Kai long ago? Ren really is choosing him over Kai, isn't he...? No matter how much logical sense it makes, there's a part of Aichi that stubbornly refuses to believe something that's so good to be true.

Ren moves closer, making Aichi have to crane his head to see his face. "Why don't you forget about Kai and Q4, and be with me?"

"I can't!" Aichi spits out reflexively. "They're my friends!"

Ren looks like a teacher trying to gently correct one of his young students when he shakes his head slowly. "That girl Misaki lost against my Brilliant Stars, didn't she? She's weak. And how long can you count on that little boy? Soon enough, you'll be the strongest of them all, and they'll resent you for it. They'll get jealous and leave you. Just like Kai."

"They wouldn't," Aichi whimpers piteously. He sounds pathetic even to his own ears. No matter how much he believed it not to be true... he never thought that Kai would run away from him either. What Ren says scares him, because it hits right on every visceral fear hidden so deeply that he could only reflect on them during his nightmares.

"They would," Ren says, so firmly that Aichi doesn't feel right doubting him. Then his face softens, and he reaches up to push Aichi's hair out of his face. It makes such a peculiar shiver crawl up Aichi's spine, and he thinks that Ren is too close─ so close he can smell a sweet, floral scent lingering on his body. "Aichi," he says again, and that feeling from earlier wells up in Aichi again. It's as if Ren is touching him with his words alone. "If you joined me, I would never abandon you."

"R-Ren..." Aichi isn't sure how to even begin separating the rush of conflicting emotions at that sentence. One part of him is adamant. He can't betray his team to join Ren's just because one day they might decide to leave him. That's just ridiculous. But another side whispers that they are already growing apart. That Ren can understand him in ways they can't and that they are two of a kind in a big, big world.

Despite himself, Aichi can't deny how much he likes the sound of Ren's voice saying these things. He almost wishes they could have come from a different person, but why should he be hung up on the impossible? Ren is here, giving him every bit of the validation he's been looking for since he began playing Vanguard. Ren said he was strong. Desired. Valued. What more can he ask for?

"So, what do you say?" Ren prods again. Aichi wishes he would stop talking for a little while so he could properly _think_. Whenever Ren opens his mouth, it's like he's being pulled along, hypnotized.

Aichi presses his lips together, feeling trapped with Ren literally looming over him. He glances at the doors to the card shop, and the hall where regular patrons pass by, seemingly oblivious to their presence. "I can't... think here," he blurts out.

Ren seems surprised, but the smile slides back into place in only seconds. He pulls away, and finally Aichi can breathe again. "Yes, it'd be bad if someone interrupted," Ren murmurs low, then looks down at him. "Let's go somewhere more private."

It's technically his own suggestion, so Aichi can only nod. He follows after Ren wordlessly, thankful that he decides to let the silence sit between them this time. Aichi tries his hardest to think on Ren's words, but he ends up getting distracted when he notices that Ren is far ahead of him, walking quickly on his long legs. Aichi frowns and tries to keep up, feeling a bit silly for following him so closely.

Aichi just decides it can wait until after a little more conversation. It isn't like Ren can make him join his team against his will, anyway. He looks around them, surprised to suddenly be in an unfamiliar place after walking just a couple minutes. "Where are we?"

Ren's expression seems anything but reassuring when he says, "You haven't been to this side of town? Don't worry, we're almost there." A few more blocks and Ren brings them before a large black gate. "This is it."

Aichi looks at the huge windowed building in front of him in awe. "What is it...?"

"Foo Fighter," Ren says simply. He presses a button on one of the columns, and within seconds the gate slides open to let them in. The loud sound of the metal settling into its stone recess is almost ominous. As if Ren can feel his rising dread, he turns to him. "It's okay. We're just here to talk."

There's still has a hint of suspicion in the back of his throat, but when Ren steps forward onto the foot path, Aichi finds himself scrambling to follow him. They enter the large building through the immaculate glass doors, where all eyes immediately fall on them both. Ren is greeted formally by almost every person they come across, like a celebrity or even some kind of king. Yet, despite having so many people vying for his attention, Aichi sees the way his expression stiffens. He had followers, but no one he could truly be equal with... is that what he wants him for?

Suzugamori Ren's equal. The thought doesn't seem real, but it admittedly sends a thrill through him. Ren brushes off the others, saying he's in the middle of something right now, that he'd be back down to watch their Vanguard fights later on, and then, "Follow me, Aichi."

That sends a new array of stares in his direction, this time filled with animosity. Aichi nearly considers spinning on his heel and running away, like he always used to. Then he hears a soft whisper from one of them. "Isn't _he_ the one who defeated Bidou?"

That's right. He had.

Aichi's posture straightens reflexively. Brilliant Stars had been Foo Fighter's best secondary team, and Bidou, their best man. That means that Aichi is likely stronger than everyone currently staring him down. Like a bunch of weak dogs who could only glare and yap from a distance. Aichi feels his lips curling upwards, confident when he turns to Ren. "Lead the way."

Ren gives him small grin for just a second, and takes Aichi to the elevator. Once the door closes and it's just them, that confidence begins to fade. Aichi is still so unsure about Ren's intentions, no matter how good he sounded (like honey), or how seemingly believable what he said was.

The elevator rises for far longer than Aichi first expects. He'd never been so high up in a building before, and Ren is taking him nearly to the very top. Finally, the elevator doors open to a small hallway with a door at the end.

Aichi doesn't know where Ren is taking them. Some professional office? A special practice area? Ren presses his finger to the scanner just beside the door handle, and pulls open the door.

Instead of anything like Aichi had been expecting, it's a deceptively normal looking room. Ren ushers him inside first, and only once he's passed the threshold does Aichi realize where he is. The same sweet scent Aichi had smelled on Ren's clothes wafts gently through the air. Ren had actually brought him to where he lived.

"No one will interrupt us here," Ren tells him. There's a gleeful tone to his voice that makes Aichi wish he'd never stepped past the gate. He doesn't think he can turn back now without some sort of discussion, even with a small nagging feeling that maybe he ought to be somewhere else right now. Aichi follows Ren to the black leather sofa and sits down stiffly when he insists.

"You've been awfully quiet," he says. Instead of taking a seat across from Aichi in the armchair, Ren chooses to sit beside him on the couch. He pulls his knee up onto the cushion, turning his whole body toward Aichi. "Why don't you tell me what you're thinking?"

Aichi is thinking that this is a trap. He opens his mouth anyway. "I'm still... confused."

"Oh, Aichi," Ren sighs, leaning his jaw against his hand. "I thought I was more than clear enough. I want you."

Somehow, hearing those words while in this situation makes Aichi's face flush. Ren chuckles quietly at his embarrassment, but Aichi tries his best to ignore him. "Because we're similar?" It's hard to truly imagine that to be true, let alone say it.

"That's not the only reason," Ren says flatly. He gives him a look, one that says he wants Aichi to stop beating around the bush. "Do all of my reasons really matter? The question is if you want me to teach you how to become stronger. I know Psyqualia better than you do. It will grow on its own, of course, but I can help it along."

Aichi places his hand against his pants pocket, feeling the edges of his deck. The one Ren had given him. "What would happen if I accepted?"

"You'd become a member of AL4. You'd have access to all of the amenities offered here," his tone is cheeky, knowing that this is one thing Aichi couldn't care less about. "I would help you. With learning how to use Psyqualia better. How to make your deck even more formidable. Together, we'll crush nationals. And then," a twisted grin flashes across his face, "we'll crush the whole world." He notices Aichi's apprehension, and reaches out to set his hand on top of his. The touch surprises Aichi, but not so much that he pulls away. "That deck had served you well so far, right?"

Aichi nods after a moment, and Ren scoops up his hand, easily linking their fingers together. The sudden action causes Aichi's face to burn harder. "Ren...?"

"If you come with me," he says, doling out another wicked promise, "I'll make it worth your while."

Aichi's chest is heaving. All of Ren's words make him feel so anxious. This shouldn't be so tempting, but─ he wants so badly to be needed. Of course he's needed by his team; they couldn't even make it to the nationals without him, but in this instance, Ren seems so much more sincere. He feels like he did when he took that deck from him, a sudden surge of calm flowing through his body. It's such a simple, easy decision to make, so why is he waffling on it so much?

Aichi presses his lips together, then he nods, slowly. "I'm interested. But can you prove it to me?"

Ren seems pleased, but holds back his glee for now. "Oh? And how would I do that?"

A strange urge rises up inside Aichi. No, it's unfair to call it strange. It's the same feeling that's been bothering him all night, the one stirring in the pit of his stomach every time Ren looks his way or touches him. No matter what his rational side tries to tell him, Ren appeals to the baser parts of him. Aichi truly wants to believe in Ren, in those touches, and his sweet promises.

After a long moment, Aichi is able to find that swell of confidence, the one that appeared during his Vanguard matches. He slowly pulls his hand out of Ren's lax grip and presses it to the curve Ren's jaw. Then, Aichi draws forward to deliver a quick peck to Ren's lips.

Ren blinks. The small smile on his face grows into a wide, devilish grin. "Aichi," he says, chidingly, pulling him closer, close enough for another kiss. "It's not nice to tease."

Aichi opens his mouth to say that he's completely serious, and then Ren surges forward, kissing him deeply. He had never been kissed by anyone before─ not like this, with teeth nipping at his bottom lip, followed by the warm and wet feeling of another's tongue. Aichi clutches at Ren's black sleeves, trying his best not to just melt into his arms.

Aichi parts his lips further, turning his face so that he can have more that delicious heat. It doesn't feel like it's been nearly long enough before Ren breaks the kiss, pulling away. Aichi opens his eyes (when did he close them?), half questioning and half outraged as he looks at Ren.

"Well? Is that enough proof?"

The question seems simple enough, but Aichi can read deeper into it. What Ren was really saying, was that if Aichi wanted any more, he'd have to make his decision. Aichi thinks it's so unfair for him to do such a thing. Even if he'd started it, how can he think rationally with Ren so close, when he can still taste him on his tongue? There's a nagging sense that he should wait, that this is the last time to retreat and he really ought to, but Ren's presence demands every ounce of his attention.

Aichi takes in a shuddering breath. "If you really want me..." his voice drops to a bare whisper, "then, take me."

It honestly shouldn't surprise him one bit when Ren's arms fold around him, but it still does. "Did you really think I wouldn't?" Ren purrs into Aichi's ears, pressing his body against his chest. Aichi's silence is all the answer he needs, and it's broken by a small gasp as Ren begins to suck at his neck.

"Ren..." Aichi breathes out. He had tried so hard to suppress his loneliness and desire for companionship, but Ren had managed to stir it all back up so easily.

Ren whispers, "You know this means you're all mine, now." A shiver of pleasure climbs up Aichi's spine. He loves the way that sounds.

Pulling back, Aichi raises his hands to cup Ren's face. "Aren't you mine, too?"

Ren's eyes widen a fraction, and then he laughs, dipping down to kiss Aichi's lips yet again.

"Don't get cocky."

Aichi kisses back harder, his fingers curling in Ren's long red hair, tugging lightly as he pushes his tongue into Ren's mouth. He can hear Ren let out a quiet growl, and then he feels their tongues meeting in a sloppy, warm dance. Before he even realizes it, their bodies are going through a similar motion. Ren pushes him against the armrest for better leverage, rubbing and grinding against him on the leather sofa.

His pants feel unbelievably tight with Ren on top of him. Aichi swears he can feel something just as hard rubbing against his thigh and tentatively reaches out for it. Ren actually sucks in a sharp breath when Aichi grips his cock through his pants. Aichi decides he likes that reaction a lot and squeezes lightly at it, then begins to stroke him through the fabric.

Ren huffs in his ear, dropping his hands to squeeze at Aichi's ass, which immediately brings a flush to his face. "R-ren!" Aichi yelps as he goes even further, rubbing two fingers near his hole.

"What?" Ren asks, pretending to be completely innocent. That's all ruined when he smirks, his eyes narrowed in an expression that Aichi can't place between wicked and seductive. "Didn't you tell me to take you?"

Aichi blushes to his roots.

"T-t-that's not what─" he starts, but Ren interrupts him with another deep kiss. Ren unbuttons Aichi's pants in what seems like an instant, dragging down them and his briefs at once. He pulls back, admiring his prize as he looks at Aichi's cock. Aichi honestly feels a little self-conscious. Its size is average for his age group, and he's still growing, but with Ren leering at him so intently, he wants to hide.

Ren moves back even further. Just as Aichi is about to ask what he's doing, Ren leans over and lies between his thighs. Aichi's heart is thumping so hard in his chest, aching just like his dick is. He actually whimpers when Ren wraps his fingers around it, it's so sensitive. Without a word of warning, Ren's lips part, and he takes the cockhead into his mouth, sucking firmly. It feels better than Aichi could have ever imagined. He instinctively bucks his hips, trying to force more of his length into Ren's mouth, but frustratingly enough, Ren just moves with him.

"Patience, Aichi," Ren coos. Aichi can see that his cheeks are flushed with arousal, too, and that makes him look even hotter when he starts to suck him again. His mind goes completely blank as Ren bobs his head down on his cock, easily taking most of it into his mouth. A sob escapes his throat, and he grips Ren's hair tightly, trembling. Ren stops sucking for a short moment, this time rubbing the head with his fingers and coating them with a mixture of saliva and pre-come.

Then, the wet digits rub against Aichi's asshole, one finger smoothly pushing in past the tight ring of muscle. Aichi gasps loudly, the sudden sensation making his dick throb. Ren licks at his erection, sliding his finger all the way inside of him and wiggling it. "That... feels weird," Aichi says. He's not sure if it's a complaint just yet, more confused than bothered by Ren's insistent movements. Another finger slips in afterward, and this one actually stings a bit.

Ren sucks his cock, pressing a little further inside every time his muscles begin to relax. Once the stinging fades, Aichi finds the two sensations in tandem rather pleasant. It feels like Ren is stimulating his dick from both ends, and the light licks of his tongue feel so much more intense when he curls his fingers just right.

"Ahh," he moans out, clutching at Ren's shoulders. Ren swallows his cock whole, pushing his fingers in and out until Aichi's body is trembling. With a gasp, Aichi clenches at the couch cushions; his cock pulses and his climax takes him so quickly he can't form any coherent words before he comes.

As Aichi catches his breath, Ren sits up, wiping at his chin. His eyes shift back and forth over the room, and then he frowns. Aichi vaguely wonders if he might have done something wrong, but Ren seems more thoughtful than anything.

"Come here," Ren says, dipping forward. With a surprising amount of strength in his slim body, he lifts Aichi into his arms. Aichi doesn't struggle, not wishing to make it harder for Ren to carry him down the hall, into what he can only assume is his bedroom.

Ren lays him down on the bed, unbuttoning Aichi's shirt and pulling it off. He's about to climb into bed next to him, so Aichi reaches out and puts a hand on Ren's chest. "Ren, you should get undressed, too..." Ren had made short work of Aichi's clothing, and it's somewhat embarrassing to be the only one in the nude. Besides... Aichi does want to see it. Ren's body.

After a moment of hesitation, Ren stands up and strips, starting with his jacket. He pulls his shirt over his head next, revealing a lean chest with hardly any marks. Aichi's eyes follow Ren's hands as he pulls down his zipper and drops his pants to his ankles. Now all that's left is Ren's underwear, and Aichi can see the bulge of his erection as plain as day. It felt like it was bigger than his, but now he can definitely tell that much for sure. Ren gives him a sly grin when he notices the way Aichi is looking at him, and slowly pulls down the waistband to reveal his cock.

Ren's whole body is so gorgeous that Aichi immediately feels self-conscious─ maybe he doesn't belong here with Ren after all. Aichi isn't anywhere near his level on anything...

"Aichi," Ren says to interrupt his thoughts, and Aichi can see the color of his eyes changing. Aichi understands it without him having to say anymore: that there's no other place he should be more. He wonders if Ren can see it in his eyes, too, the power of Psyqualia that links them together. But unlike him, Ren probably doesn't need to.

Ren finally moves onto the bed, settling between Aichi's thighs once more. If he wants to stop, now is definitely the time to say so, but... Aichi honestly feel exhilarated. He watches Ren slick his cock with a bedside bottle of lubricant and quietly spreads his legs a little further. Aichi is sure this will embarrass him from today forward, but anything concerning tomorrow and beyond is lost to him as Ren starts to push in.

It feels nothing like his fingers, big and hard and solid. Aichi has to fight the urge to bear down on it, knowing that would just make it even more uncomfortable. He bites his bottom lip, trying to find comfort in Ren's kisses to his throat, but only finding a very short-lived distraction.

Ren fills Aichi completely with one final push, and then he's all the way inside. Aichi can't help wanting to see it actually happening; he cranes his neck to try to sneak a peek, but he can't see anything. Regardless, he can still feel the intense sensation when Ren begins to draw his cock out, then slides back into him just as slowly.

Aichi can only take it so much at this pace, growing more accustomed to it and soon, impatient. It still hurts a bit, but he hooks his legs around Ren's hips, urging him forward. "Now what did I tell you earlier?" Ren's voice is a low purr, a very sexual glint to his eyes. He gives Aichi what he wants, thrusting inside of him fully. Aichi groans and his eyes well up a bit. It's much more extreme than he had expected, in both pain and pleasure.

"Aichi, you're so tight," Ren growls. Lust is heavy in his tone, and that lust feeds directly into Aichi. Ren thrusts again, and again, and Aichi can hear himself whimpering and moaning, writhing on the bedsheets as Ren pounds into his body.

Ren's fingers grip his thighs right above his knees, pushing his legs back further, and making his hips start to ache. But that is just dull background noise in comparison to the feeling he gets when Ren moves forward and nails his prostate straight on. "Ren!" Aichi sobs, squeezing him even tighter. He feels like the wind's been knocked out of him. If everything so far felt amazing, this is ten times better. His cock pulses and Aichi almost thinks he might come right there as Ren hits that spot again.

"There?" Ren's speaking right into his ear again, huffing and groaning along with him. It makes Aichi feel even better to know Ren is enjoying it just as much as him. He nods breathlessly, rolling his hips into Ren's, anything to make him hit deeper, harder.

Thankfully, Ren pays close attention to every one of his needy desires, finally touching Aichi's cock. Aichi can hardly think straight now, his head swimming as Ren starts to jerk him off. He runs his fingers through Ren's hair to pull him into a sloppy kiss, one that Ren eagerly returns. "Ren," Aichi pants, straining against the mattress. "I don't think... I can take anymore."

Ren smiles coyly at him, and whispers against his lips, "That's fine, just come." Ren speeds up his pace, stroking firmly at Aichi's cock in time with his thrusts. It's all too much. Aichi's nails dig into Ren's back and he bucks his hips, his body tensing up. His second orgasm rips through him so hard, even more intense than the first.

In his an after-orgasm haze, Aichi distantly registers Ren's moans as he buries his cock even further inside him. With one more jerk of his hips, Ren nudges against that over-stimulated spot, causing Aichi to clench around him. Ren's breath hitches. He bucks, groans, and lets out his release inside Aichi's body.

Panting, Ren slowly pulls out, and Aichi can feel the semen already starting to drip from his empty, reamed hole. Aichi ignores the slimy feeling for now and tiredly pulls Ren on top of him, nestling against the naked warmth of his body. They're both sticky and sweaty, but Aichi is so exhausted and satisfied that it doesn't bother him in the slightest.

Ren presses his face into the curve of Aichi's neck, murmuring something that he can't quite make out. Either way, his soft voice eases Aichi completely into a deep sleep.

When Aichi wakes up in the morning, his lower half is sore, and it takes him five minutes before he can even roll over. The last night's events come back to him slowly, between bleary blinks and the realization that he isn't in his own bed. Strangely, he doesn't feel mortified at all remembering what had happened.

Ren had already left the room before Aichi even started stirring, but he can see a small stack of folded clothes on the dresser. After a short stretch, Aichi wills himself out of bed and into the bathroom for a thorough wash. The clothes Ren had prepared are a little baggy on his small frame, but they still fit well enough. Aichi can smell the faint scent of lilies still clinging to the fabric, signaling that the clothes likely belonged to Ren himself.

When Aichi steps out of the bedroom, he can see Ren in the living room, going through a few cards on the coffee table. Now that Ren is in front of him again, Aichi feels his face start to redden slightly. Then Ren looks over at him and smiles, beckoning him to the sofa. Aichi goes to him, all his uncertainty fading when he sits beside Ren and feels his arm curl around his waist.

After a short moment, Ren stacks the cards, and says, "I hope you're planning to keep your word."

"Of course I am." The words come out so smoothly that Aichi thinks that maybe Ren is already starting to rub off on him. He wants to become stronger, in Vanguard and as a person, too, and he wonders how much better Ren will make him. "I'll join AL4."

Ren regards him quietly, and Aichi stares right back at him, so he can see that he is serious. "What about your friends?"

"...I don't need them," he says eventually. It's cold, but true. He feels grateful towards his former teammates for helping him get this far, but now he has Ren and AL4. Quadrifoglio had been a useful stepping stone on his path, but just like his former deck, it's no longer necessary to him.

"Are you saying you need me?" Ren seems deeply amused by the thought, but Aichi shakes his head.

Aichi pulls him closer with a light tug on his fringe. Looking back, it's clear that all of Ren's words to him had been said with a hint of deeper desperation, that last night's kisses and touches had been so very eager on both sides. Everything Aichi had been feeling, all the loneliness and yearning for another, had been felt by Ren for so much longer, and even more intently. After all, it was Ren who had called to him.

Aichi's eyes are shining with an unnatural light when he smiles widely, sure that he's finally found where he belongs. "No," he says, kissing him gently, "You're the one who needs me."


End file.
